Malaysian postal service issuing dog stamp series

KUALA LUMPUR • The first stamp series to be issued by Malaysia's postal service this year will be themed "Animals With Various Special Roles - Working Dogs".

The stamps will be available from Thursday. They feature three types of working dogs, namely detector dogs, protection dogs and guide dogs.

The animal is not often celebrated in Malaysia, because dogs are considered to be unclean among the country's Muslim majority.

BERNAMA

Pakistani clerics forbid suicide bombings

ISLAMABAD • More than 1,800 Pakistani Muslim clerics have issued an Islamic directive, or fatwa, forbidding suicide bombings, in a book unveiled by the government yesterday.

The clerics, who are attempting to curb a wave of terrorism that has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties since the beginning of the century, declared suicide bombings to be forbidden.

REUTERS

Agreement on Rohingya repatriation process

YANGON • Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed yesterday to complete in two years the return of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims who fled an army crackdown last year in Myanmar.

Statements from both the Myanmar and Bangladesh foreign ministries said the repatriation process would start next Tuesday.

REUTERS